3 N OoW Ey eAS Gear  heNisS 
Colorful Glimpoes 
All in all, the 1946 blooming season was about the best ever for us. Though it 
was quite dry during midseason, we were able to water our choicest fields, thus saving 
the day. We were never without some choice show flowers; this has not always been 
true every year. Our many fine seedlings furnished us with the biggest thrill of the 
season — a thrill that lasted all season long. Our most beautiful spike this summer 
was a stunning 614-41 now registered as White Christmas. A 3-spike picture of it is 
inside the back cover. We plan to feature this ruffled, 6 in., sculptured, waxy, exhibition 
white next year. The most gratifying seedling of the year was 268-42, which is our 
current introduction, Beauty’s Blush. Among the better seedlings in our patch, one 
will notice a preponderance of lavender and rose shades, mostly Rose O’ Day seedlings. 
One of the most promising of these, 173-45, won the Grandchampionship at the Sioux 
City, Iowa show. This seedling was also awarded Second Day Grandchampion, having 
twelve or thirteen perfectly fresh flowers open. This was our single biggest joy spot 
of the season. Judges and fans were still talking about the Sioux City Grandchamp at 
the Iowa State show at Ames a week later. The Misses Louine Fischer and Ellen 
Heine accompanied the flowers at the show. 
The finest compliment of the year came from Iowa’s renowned J. Elton Carter, at 
the Iowa State show at Ames. I found him on one knee studying one of my seedlings. 
I overheard his professional comment, “Stamens gray.” !!! He sees the minutest detail. 
We shook hands. But soon he backed off a bit and said, “Carl, this is the best display 
of seedlings shown since the National Show in Cleveland in 1930 when Solveig was 
exhibited.” This remark, coming from such a fine critic, meant more to me than 
a loving cup. 
The keenest disappointment of the year was the poor condition of my flowers at 
the Garfield Park Show in Chicago. I had stored my flowers in the basement the night 
before and forgot to leave the door open. The warm stuffy air caused them to disintegrate. 
The most promising new varieties of the year were Abu Hassan, Orange Gold, Silver 
Wings and Trocadero. 
My sister and brother-in-law, Rev. and Mrs. Anvie Peterson, who were with us 
the past few years, now reside at Winona: Minn., where Anvie is pastor of the Calvary Free 
Church. They attended flower shows, answered correspondence, and helped out in pinches. 
My sister, Louine, is right hand bower. 
I believe much more attention should be paid to the smaller sized gladiolus. They 
lend themselves to such graceful arrangements. But let someone bring a cornstalk to 
the show and the purple rosette is immediately placed upon it. I have never yet seen 
a flower in the smaller sized brackets receive this attention. Size is merely a dimension 
and not an attribute of beauty! The personality and soul of a flower is largely being 
overlooked. It can’t be measured by a ruler or score sheet either! 
And it would take a millionaire to buy all the new ones currently introduced. 
A partial list of those registered last year is 87. Experience has proven that but 
a bare half dozen or so of a year’s production are here to stay. A system of trial 
grounds that has some prestige is sorely needed. We are offering but two this year 
from our seedling acre; we could enthusiastically put out a half dozen. Then too, I 
think it is an insult to a customer’s pocket book to ask $10, $15, or even $5 for a single 
bulb. This introducing business is getting to be a racket! 
For your pleasure and interest we will skip at random across the rows of our 
trial grounds. We tried most of the new ones from Konynenberg and Mark and found 
that Europe still leads the field in the “blues,’ Abu Hassan, High Life, and Ravel all 
being fine. Trivoli, a clear light pink, looks very promising. We found Hokus Pokus, to 
be early, but not a pleasing combination of red and yellow. Sophia is just another 
Picardy-colored glad. We have always objected to new varieties that have Picardy 
written all over their faces, one may just as well grow the old favorite. If it doesn't 
portray a different message there’s not much excuse for it, unless it might be improved 
growing habits in some form or other. Lady Luck looks a lot like Picardy but presents 
a pure throat and an improved color. Pink Charm seems to be a shorter, smaller Picardy. 
It is early, but we greatly prefer Margaret Fulton as an early cutter. Fuschia Belle, 
was n. g. of a year ago, but proved itself to be well worth listing this year, with 
its tall stately spikes and beautiful fuschia coloring. Connecticut Yankee built a most 
substantial and impressive spike but chooses to be a rarity for some time to come 
with its scarcity of bulblets. Yankee Lass is very similar but not quite as romantic. 
Abigail looked promising, but it was very plain. It had a good color, stems were tall 
but soft. Bernice Pasteur, n. g. Hoosier Lady seemed to be a weak grower. No excuse 


